Chapter Fifty-one
A Lesson Learned
9:01 P.M...
Silently, Kim and Kat made their way back to Johnson, Melissa, and the children. Neither of them wanted to talk about what had happened between them. At the next station, Melissa had Johnson on his feet and hobbling toward the exit. She waved to the two of them, relieved she would have help getting him out.
"We're here!" Melissa shouted.
Katharine's view...
They didn't get very far. Kimberly would have tracked them down in no time, and she would have slaughtered Melissa. I wonder though... Would she have done it in front of the children or would she have come up with a story and pulled Melissa away from the group before she did the grim deed?
I watch her closely, still expecting her to try and kill Melissa at any moment. I can't trust her, so I don't need to be in this partnership. Surely I don't need someone like her. I think back to the business card I found. What about the clues that were left for me? Why was I supposed to find her? I glance at my Beretta. Am I supposed to stop her? That would be funny, and here I'm trying to make friends with her.
Kimberly's view...
I notice that woman watching me. Good for her. She doesn't trust me, and it's about time. She was an idiot to put her faith in me. I would have killed her. The next thought saddens me a bit. That woman has finally learned that she can't trust me, so what will that do to our partnership?
Katharine's view...
I warily walk behind Kimberly. Should I stay and work with someone that can betray me at any moment?
I pause, take one last look at the second subway station, and think of the two dead bodyguards. So much death and for what? Melissa's Closing was canceled, so why did Andrews and Daniels have to die? I don't know. It all seems so senseless, but at least, the children won't have to see their bodies. We will be leaving by this station's stairs instead of the other's.
End Katharine's view...
With Melissa's help, Johnson hobbled his way out of the subway and to a locked fence. Kim shot the lock, and the group proceeded to the street. They saw no sign of Nikolai or Natasha. On the next block, the safe house burned and by then, fire crews worked on putting out the blaze. A Noir Civil Police Force car drove down the street and stopped at the curb before the haggard group.
"You folks okay?" the male officer asked.
Johnson released Melissa, hopped a few feet to the car's door, and leaned on it. "I work for the Isis Corporation. I'm a bodyguard, and two Closers tried to take out my client." He motioned behind himself. "Two of my men are dead. They're down in the subway."
"And the Closers?" the officer asked.
"Gone," Johnson answered. "They're gone."
The officer nodded. "Well, let's get you folks some help."
#2 Shades of Gray: From Moscow, With Love Page 60